Best wax for a canvas pack?

[KayakFisherFinland]

I got some bowstring wax blocks from work. Just this yellow little block, odourless. Any guesses what it might be and could it be used for this very same purpose. They have no labels, so no idea what it might have in it.

This is the bag that I'm planning to wax http://urbanoutdoor.dk/products/savotta-123-38-l

 

[Chainsaw]

hard to say about bowstring wax, sounds like it could be beeswax but no idea if there is anything bowspecific in there, could be something totally different. Not sure pure beeswax would be a good idea, might be really really stiff due to it's relatively high melting point. As I understand it, the more beeswax in the mix the stiffer the result, paraffin wax has a lower melting point so should make up the bulk of the mix.

 

[KayakFisherFinland]

I doubt it being beeswax. Something cheap from china is more like it, we dish them out for free if you know to ask for it. Slightly translucent, bright yellow, completely odourless, softer than a candle or pure beeswaxs, bends, easily leaves an impression with a nail. Small blocks, could fit 3-4 in a matchbox.

Maybe I try what happens with some other piece of fabric first.

 

[Chainsaw]

agree it sounds too soft for beeswax. A test may be in order but I'd still be worried about what else is in there.

 

[Chainsaw]

OK madman in a lab (kitchen) time. Got the bain marie going;

measure out the 20% mix, this is just the beeswax in 20g of paraffin wax

hoofed into the pot

and stir until melted (can just about see the yellowy stuff, goes like oil.

and decant (spilled some of the 10%)

Would recommend using disposable everything, the wax is a pain to get rid off, remove excess with paper towel then microwave bowl, then into a hot dishwasher cycle (or pour loads of boiling water on it.)

leave to harden

 

[British Red]

Looking good, safe and scientific. Did you splash yourself?

 

[Chainsaw]

Just with some boiling water removing the glass bowl

The cakes have hardened, stuck one cocktail stick end in one and 2 cocktails stick ends in the other to mark 10 and 20%, cut some canvas and nicked the missus' hairdryer;

First of all I applied the wax onto an unheated bit of canvas

Then gave it some heat

Totally soaks in, amazing to watch, was like it was evaporating (which it wasn't) Next I heated the surface of the canvas with the hairdryer before applying the wax

went on a lot better but still soaked in well when heat was applied

Repeated this 3 times and ended up saturating the canvas, which it what we are trying to do. Went right through onto the paper;

Left them to dry then ran them under the tap and watched the water just bead off them like quicksilver As you can see, darkened the canvas a little bit and tbh there is not much difference in stiffness at all, I reckon any extra stiffness is down to how much is applied. I would do 2 or 3 heated coats at a maximum, any more than that and you'll be just packing it in. The 10 has two coats and the 20 has 3. As a result the 20 is a tiny bit stiffer.

So big batch next time I get the chance, reckon I'm going to go with the 20% mix, seems no real difference and if I wanted to I could always thin it with some turps but tbh with the hairdryer, not sure it's needed.

 

[Chainsaw]

so revising my comment about seeing no real difference. This morning went down stairs and had a look at last nights efforts. Gave them a good old rumple and the 20% seemed to go white again. Now, is this due to the 20% mix or the quantity of wax in the material (the 20% sample was was pretty well saturated) Tempted to look at adding some mineral oil in there to keep it supple at the suggested 3 or 4 to 1 ratio. This should give me more of a paste than a block, or maybe the 10% will do...?

Am going to really saturate the 10% sample and see if it behaves the same as the saturated 20% sample, if so will add some oil to the mix.

 

[British Red]

Don't add mineral oil unless you want the bag to feel greasy.

The surface wax is due to excess wax rather than mix. To remove it put an old cloth over the sample and iron it. Don't add three coats to you bag

 

[Chainsaw]

A little greasy would be ok but just checked and the saturated 10% sample behaves better, much less whitening when crumpled when cold. Going to go with 10%, 2 thin, even coats, heated with a hairdryer then into the tumbledryer for a bit (inside a pillow case)

Time to cook up the big batch!

 

[Chainsaw]

saving you the gory details but this;

is now this

made a wee bit of a mess so best to do it while SWMBO is out

 

[British Red]

Now you know why I have a full size cooker in the workshop.

You are a brave man using the drier I've never tried that!

 

[nephilim]

2x thin layers of 10% will do the job nicely...and you're indeed brave for using your cooker. It took me a while to get it off when I did it, so now stick to having it heated on the BBQ.

 

[Chainsaw]

The cooker top is glass so really easy to clean (and she'll never know!)

2 thin of 10% is the plan. Might even get to it tonight...

 

[tommy the cat]

I've tried a beeswax turps (natural) and boiled linseed oil mix....works for me although it does smell very piney. ...
You tube video tutorial if you want a link of a slightly different recipe

 

[Chainsaw]

Cheers tommy, I saw that was tempted with the turps as a solvent but decided against it.

I got stuck in on Friday night (party monster me...) It was the pack on the right (before pic)

Cut my block into 4 The rounded one is what was left after I had put 2 coats on the pack, this stuff goes far!

Laid it out and got stuck in. I would recommend not doing this on the floor, does yer back in! One half done

After hairdry, second coat, hairdry

hmm not as dark as I'd like... Repeat panel by panel, 2 thin coats

This was the end result, I was looking for darker

At this point it was shedding water great. I wrapped it in an old duvet cover and whacked it in the tumble dryer for half an hour on high. Came out looking pretty much the same but the waterproofing had gone, the wax had been distributed throughout the canvas and it was no longer beading but wetting out. Hmm.... I made up a batch of Beeswax/paraffin wax with some baby oil which is still pretty hard but a lot softer than the solid stuff. Not sure where I'll go now, the hairdried application was great, beaded well but tempted to give the baby oil version a go....

Cheers,

Alan

 

[British Red]

If you want darker Alan, you can grate a wax crayon into the mix! It really works.

 

[Chainsaw]

Will try that next time Red.

So had a couple of bars to play with now, one 10/90 mix and the other 10/90 plus 10% oil. New bar on right.

Oil bar went on great, still pretty hard but more seemed to come off of it when rubbing

Disappeared in just as well with the hairdryer and didn't feel at all oily. Though about it over a cup of tea and decided to go with the standard 90/10 mix. Got to work, decided to bring in the hot air gun as the hair dryer was taking too long and it was struggling to melt the wax in. Keep the hot air gun away from the canvas and your hand close to the area being worked so you can tell when it's getting too hot. Oh and brass buckles get really hot!

Came out really well and it's beading like mad so very happy with it.

Thanks for watching, those that have hung around, have enjoyed playing around with this stuff, was very easy and results are great so would recommend it. Next to do is my favourite boonie hat..

 

[Chainsaw]

Oh I now have 2 bars of 90/10 with oil and a couple of 90/10 (no oil) going spare. Let me know if you want one and I'll post one out to you FoC. Only condition is that you use it and post some pics on here.

 

[nephilim]

I'll take one. Can water proof my new work plimsolls